Rocketo's Dark Fist
by Childish Perspective
Summary: Team Rocket. In recent times the organization had become the laughing stock of Kanto before simply vanishing off the grid, but that had not always been the case. There was a reason Kanto had never been invaded. People forget that at one point, Rocket "owned" Kanto, business, gyms, crime, Rocket's. Kard Grimsley remembered. And for his own purpose, he would remind the world.


So... this is my first time publishing. I wrote this years ago, but never continued it. I'd love any sort of review including correction on how to use the site if I'm doing something wrong. Also, is there a way/place to publish background information on the story? I'm always wishing I could learn more about worlds I find here that truly interest me, but other than short little author's notes I don't see how to get that world building information out there.

Let's see, what am I supposed to do next? I don't own Pokemon of course. Think that's all? Here goes...

* * *

 **Rocketo's Dark Fist**

A shadowed figure sat in a large chair atop the balcony, stroking the back of the pursian beside him. The man's suit could clearly be seen, a black, pinstriped Armani complete with a scarlet handkerchief, three corners poking out of the breast pocket. However, despite the top half of his face enveloped in shadow, his most striking feature was a smile, a smile exuding confidence and pride.

Before him stood a short wall, separating him from the drop of the balcony and the thousands of men and women dressed in uniform: pitch black long-sleeved shirt and pants with the addition of a beret of the same color on each head. A scarlet "R" shown proudly on the top left of each shirt. The masses stood silently in formation, waiting.

The man in the suit rose from his chair, walking to the podium. As he walked, the shadow hiding his face lifted, revealing the great crime lord of Kanto, the man who at one point held in his power the industries, the cities, and the leaders of all the land. Indeed, the man behind the shadow was none other than Giovani Rocketo. Facing the sea of black littered with scarlet "R"s, using a voice that reached to the ends of this massive building, he addressed the audience.

"Doubtless you have heard the stories. Tales of team Plasma building an empire with the pokemon they attained through the spreading of a false ideology, the wars fought between Team Magma and Aqua over the powers of land and sea, and even that of team Galactic, wishing to defy God. Then again, perhaps you remember our own rule, a criminal empire lasting many years, even while other organizations of crime were still in their infancy. Due to oversights and careless blunders, they all fell, all but one. You know which group I speak of! You know because of your presence, despite the return of so called law and order to Kanto!

Yes, we fell. We fell at the hands of a stubborn brat and an experiment gone terribly awry. We gambled with the renewal of creation itself, and for once, we lost. Yet we lived on! Where others fell apart at their losses, we had the resources to rebuild. Yes, we thrived in our secrecy, enjoying our years of smaller crime, immune to a law that knew not of our existence, but the time has come. The time for the world to once again recognize the true rulers of Kanto! Team Rocket!"

At the sound of their name, the legions of dark soldiers pounded their chests with right fists and answered the call. "ROCKET!" The sound shook the building, causing a widening of Giovani's smile. Meanwhile, the pursian had slipped away from Giovani's pleasurable hand to pursue a quieter place, perhaps somewhere with grass and small pokemon, prey. Giovani hardly noticed as he continued his speech.

"As your leader, I must thank you for your perseverance. It has been a long time since my disappearance hasn't it? But, now that I have returned, I will be reworking the command structure to better allow the advancement of the capable and applying some new methods to our trainer program. I believe we all have a new respect for the power of strong trainers. Your immediate supervisor will supply you with a handbook explaining in detail the changes which have been made, and, though I will be giving you a brief overview of these changes, _I strongly suggest you read and memorize that black book._

Now for the overview. All admins and higher-ups will keep their positions at this time. However, we now have a series of battle classes and Rocket tournaments to sharpen and assess your talents. Within the tournaments all Rockets must meet a certain quota of victories to maintain their positions. Also, while victories do not earn you promotions they will open up positions in leadership and put you on teams for missions. The success of these missions and manner in which they are carried out are the keys to advancement in Team Rocket. One last thing in regards to tournaments: they will be public and toted as very high class with generous rewards. This will allow our organization numerous benefits, including the free and easy use of the Safron Pokecenter, reducing the cost of maintaining our facility through hefty entrance fees, and provide us an excellent recruitment tool. Now go prepare your pokemon. The tournament is two weeks from now and we are beginning the process of publicizing it. Wear masks to avoid anyone recognizing you. I don't mean simple black cloth. Something you'd wear at a ball. One last thing: those deemed too _uncouth_ will be ejected from the tournament and demoted if they try to make an appearance. Buy a suit."

Finished with his speech, Giovani backed away from the balcony's edge, allowing shadow to once again envelope his face before turning around and exiting through a back door.

" _There's no biz like show biz. Time to start a new era, and it might as well be flashy enough to be remembered. Now where's that pursian?"_

Heading down stairs to his private office, he saw that three people and a pokemon were waiting for him. The two tallest, a young man and women with over gelled blue and red hair respectively, were none other than James and Jesse, the bumbling yet surprisingly loyal fools of the original Team Rocket. My how they've grown. Where once stood the lowest of Rocket grunts assigned the most useless mission now loomed the pride of Rocket. Even that annoying meowth had grown considerably.

However, the person between them, the short one not dressed in a rocket uniform with his cap pulled down, was the reason for the duo of trouble's marvelous transformation. Kard Grimsley, the boy and unknown protégée of Unova, had discovered a website Giovanni had been creating while preparing the Black Book now being handed out to those he had just spoken to. Having discovered and read it, he contacted Giovanni, offering a few improvements and asking how he could join the rocket organization. Though wary of an infiltration attempt, Giovanni responded by telling Kard the location of the team closest to Nimbasa. Of course, he only did this _after_ seeing how excellent the advice had been and unlikely to come from an officer of the law. The same way no sane person gives crooks advanced weaponry, officers of the law _do not_ provide criminals with training techniques used by the elite 4.

Unfortunately, the closest team to Kard Grimsley was the infamous duo, Jesse and James, the two incompetents that were stuck working off a bill at the desert resort. During a rather long winded excuse, the only words Giovanni remembered were "cash," "mugged," and, strangely enough, "Scrafty." Anyhow, he decided to put Kard to the test, warning him of who he would be travelling with and expecting him to improve the troubled trio. When the boy came back, Giovani realized that his criminal empire would soon be standing stronger than ever.

Now his most powerful and trusted stood before him. With a smile, Jesse started talking, "Boss, your speech was amazing! Now when's our next mission? There's a certain twerp with this monstrous yellow rat I've been aching to pay a visit for a while now!"

"Ah Jesse," the crime lord began. "Unfortunately, all three of you will have to compete in the tournaments before I give any missions. Also, the teams I will be sending on missions will be somewhat…larger. However, if you gain the rank of at least admin, I promise to allow you a choice of several very _selective_ missions, most of which I believe you would greatly enjoy. Personally, you have begun to peek my curiosity regarding this peculiar rodent."

"So we will all be starting from scratch until we prove ourselves to you then?" That was Kard. So far he's been remarkably anxious to speed Rocket to power.

"Well with your talents," replied Giovanni. "This tournament shouldn't be a problem. Also, the prizes are real and should be quite useful to the winners. Now, see you in two weeks. One last thing; you will be monetarily rewarded for any non-rockets you convince to join our little tournament using your own resources. So come up with a poster or something to lure in more cash. Remember to show in some manner that they came because of you. Now I'm going to find that pursian before he gets blood on that fine fur coat. He's a messy eater, that one." Shaking his head and looking skyward, Giovanni Rocketo took a binder from his office then took the building's back exit, stepping into the long grass.

After the Boss left, Jesse began complaining. "Hmph, a tournament. Why do we go through all that training, travelling through all of Unova, Hoenn, and Johto, only to have yet more work to do?"

"Perhaps he's still nervous of our track record?" James responded while the team went out the exit in search of a place to sleep. "Hey, I know! Why don't we invite Ash's group!"

"Are yah insane?!" That was Meowth. "Dose twoips are dah reason for all our twoubles in dah first place. Dis is our big chance tah show da Boss what we ah made off! Besides, those kids don't have dah money. Ooh! Shiny!" Meowth, over the course of their recent journey, had taken the habit of many of his kind, collecting all things on the ground that was round and gleamed. This started soon after he learned "payday," and as of yet was only mildly annoying to the others.

Kard had been leading by a few feet, grass up to his chest, when he started talking. "Actually, I would like to meet this 'Ash' you always speak of. I mean, personally, get to know him." _He is one of the more powerful pieces in this game, a knight of my opponents. I need to know how great a threat he poses and, possibly of more importance, is he just a piece or a player as well._ Kard continued, "Also, he's close friends with the Oaks. He can get the money. You guys can go in disguise to give him the invitation. I don't know how, but from what you tell me, you guys almost always manage to fool them with your getups. One more thing, there's someone I want James to beat."

"Wow Kard," exclaimed Jess. "You finally spoke today. I was beginning to wonder when you'd let loose. Well for Ash, if you say you want to face him so badly, I'm fine as long as it's you facing him. So… who do you need James to take out? Butch?"

Kard almost tripped "Hah! Butch is way too easy at this point. I'm thinking of someone he fears a bit more. Oh, and I want you to face Misty."

Jesse stopped, aghast. "You have got to be kidding me. You know I wanted to murder that girl after she stole my pokemon princesses, right?"

"And now you have your chance for revenge! If you dislike it, you can commiserate with James. I'm going to guarantee he faces Jessiebelle." Kard stopped and turned around, so as to better see James' reaction. He wasn't disappointed

"WHAT!?" James stood in shock, what color once having been in his face now thoroughly drained. "Why? You _know_ how I feel about that, witch! She's a gyardos in a skirt I tell you.!"

Kard was silent for a moment. Then he stuck out his hand. "James, give me your oldest friend, the one we found in Johto, searching for his master. For you he forsook his trainer, a kind trainer who loved him. For you he left that officer, as he knew you and you alone would forever be his true master." James hesitated before placing a certain ball in Kard's hands, a luxury ball, of all things, and the only one of its kind in all of Team Rocket. Kard pressed the button, releasing a great maned canine from the confines of the ball. It took one look at James before practically bowling him over with a monstrous lick. "Hehehe," spoke Meowth. "That move should be considered an attack!"

"Arcanine, I can do this can't I?" James's first, and for a long while only, friend nuzzled his head against James shoulder.

"I think that's a yes," stated Meowth. "Hey wait a minute! What the heck am I supposed to do during this little tournament?! I will _not_ be battling with one of dose two being some sort of boss."

While Jesse and James eyed Meowth with some hint of disdain, muttering they wouldn't even consider it, Kard looked at the sky for inspiration. "Your right Meowth." Meowth interjected, "I always am!" before Kard could continue. "As I was saying." Kard eyed Meowth before continuing, "We can't have you battling just yet. Your body is not built for battle and you refuse to attain more power through evolution."

"I have issues," Meowth pouted.

Jesse muttered in Jame's ear, "Got that right…"

Kard continued, ignoring the duo, "I _know_ you have issues. Posing as a trainer is also out of the question. Those with no talent for it have no place in this renewed organization. Let's see… Why don't you operate a lost and found?"

Meowth sputtered, "What?!"

"Look, anything over 150p, we keep. We'll just give you some old suits, already named so no one can claim them, scatter a few antidotes on the bottom, and we got you a perfectly believable lost-n-found. If it's not working, just go out and find some unattended items to add to your "lost-and-found."

"Wow Kard, we've used everything from anti-shock cages to giant robot mecha, yet your plan already seems more successful than any of ours could have ever been."

"Hey!" Meowth protested. "I built more dan half of dose Mecha you know."

Kard decided to comfort the talkative feline. "Which is more than any of the others did. Now get some rest. You guys will take a trip to Pallet Town tomorrow to deliver the tournament invitation. From what you've told me, Ash favors his competitiveness more than money so he should be coming. Meanwhile, I have some letters to write…"

* * *

Kard went to his hotel room, courtesy of Giovanni Rocketo. Walking up the stairs, Kard contemplate his decision to join the Rockets.

 _I could have been anything, doing whatever I wanted. Hell, there's a reason I know pokemon so well. My family, after all, holds the longest line of champion trainers Unova and Kanto combined. Some say Pallet Town is the birthplace of greatness, but I know differently. Born in the heart of darkness… Yes, I know otherwise. I'm gambling with my right as a Grimsley. Will this sacrifice of mine be worth it?"_

After walking into his room, he sat himself down at the desk and pulled out a quill and paper. _Now, I need to write letters to Misty and Jessabelle, but I would like to attract a few others into the crowd. I wonder what Mr. Rocketo would think of me if I convinced Dragon Master Lance to show up? Ha… That would likely end my little career here. Hmmm… I've got it. Now, how about the introduction part?_

"Dear _,

You have been invited to the opening of the Gio Ro tournament being held in Safron City, Kanto. As this tournament has been designed for the only the most powerful and prestigious of trainers, the entrance fee will be 25,000p. Everyone will receive a prize, a prize of higher value the better they finish. The winner shall walk away with a prize worthy of their endeavors and the fame that accompanies being the first champion of a tournament of the nations! Bring at least 4 pokemon and tournament/dress attire, the more memorable the uniform the better."

 _That sounds pretty good, now to add the bait._

Having finished four of such letters, exactly the same in every way but the name the letters were addressed to, Kard took out 4 pokeballs and set them on the table. Then he flipped over the invitations and carefully wrote what he knew would draw in his fish.

On the letter addressed to Jessabelle Heirrette: "At this tournament you may find a certain blue haired young man and his faithful canine. If you wish to claim him, I sincerely hope you have the means to enter this tournament." Kard placed a finger on the release of a dark green pokeball, crisscrossed with a black web. Within a second, a shiftry stood beside him.

"Ah Baron, I need you to deliver this to a certain lady named Jessebelle. Please handle your mission with the utmost care."

The shiftry, Baron, took the letter and bowed deeply before vanishing into the night. In his wake he left only the sound of leaves in the wind. With a slight smile, Kard Grimsley recalled finding his nobleman while travelling through Hoenn with Jesse and James. Even as a seedot, Baron had somehow contained a shade of gallantry. But more invitations required sending.

On the next letter, addressed to Misty: "In all probability, a certain young man and his mouse should be coming to this tournament. I believe he would be overjoyed to see a powerful, and lovely, gym-leader such as yourself participating." Then Kard opened another ball, this time releasing a Bisharp.

"Canter, please deliver this letter to Gym-leader Misty." Bisharp saluted with a fist over his iron heart and vanished with a sharp clash of metal. Kard turned back to the table. _Now for the interesting letter._

The letter was addressed to an "Ideal King." Kard wrote on the back of the invitation, "Good luck GamieN" _Why he insists on that spelling I'll never know. I do hope he comes though. He has a bit more experience than me when dealing with criminal organizations."_

Kard released his Umbreon, his one companion he never trained for battle. He had received her as an eevee when still a child and had lavished her with the love of one who now had no other outlet. One night the little critter nabbed a rare candy from the purse of Kard's sleeping caretaker. Needless to say, Kard was happily surprised the following morning, showing him off to a certain green haired youth in a similar situation as he.

Kard stooped down, scratching between the black creature's ears. "My beloved Lady, I need you to return home for me with this letter OK?" Lady nuzzled Kard's chin before vanishing just as quickly as the two before her. Kard turned to his desk one final time.

The last letter was addressed to the, "Elite 4 Member and Amateur Card Dealer." Kard thought for a while before simply signing the card. "A Brother" He then released another pokemon, this time a Houndoom.

"Brus, you know where to go." And with that, the Houndoom took off.* " _I may regret this. But I need to talk to him. Thankfully "Elites" usually don't pry into each other's business. If that changes though… Heh, won't Mr. Rocketto be in for a surprise."_

With that last thought, Kard took to his bed. For a while, he simply lay with his eyes closed, surrounded by darkness, but unable to sleep. Then he drifted into the land of half-dreams, the place at the beginning and end of the night where sleep and consciousness met. He dreamed of many things, first Lady as an eevee casting an enormous shadow and 2 roses floating in a pond. The roses, white and black, slowly sunk into the lake. Later he saw two very familiar items, a deck of cards and a pure white rubix cube missing all the pieces in the middle of the squares as well as the center. Then he observed as the cards suddenly tore up and the rubix cube seemingly shattered of its own accord. For a small while, Kard was cold, cold enough that he _almost_ woke. But then Lady's shadow stretched even further, and engulfed him in darkness.

* * *

Over the course of the following week, in various parts of the world of pokemon, a selected few trainers received mysterious visits from pokemon carrying invitations to a prestigious tournament.

One night in Cerulean, the city of the "Water Princess," a certain young lady who's pokemon specialty belied her fiery personality received a strange visit.

 **Ding-Dong!** _I wonder who could be visiting at such a late hour?_ Misty got up from her couch, turning off the TV. She had been watching videos of her journey with that odd boy from Pallet. With a sigh, she went to the door to look through the key hole. Boy, was she surprised. Before her door stood a strange pokemon covered in blades. It looked like it could have quite easily cut its way into her home. However, though the pokemon seemed overly vain, it appeared to have an air of chivalry that gained Misty's trust. She opened the door.

It was then Misty realized the pokemon held in its hands, taking great care not to shred it to pieces, a letter addressed to Misty Waterflower. "What is this?" Misty asked, mainly to herself. "Bi-hi-shar-Ap!" the pokemon proclaimed as it offered Misty the letter, executing a slight bow. Once Misty took the letter, the pokemon gave a far deeper bow, coming down to one knee, before leaping away and vanishing into the night. Misty stood a while in wonder before closing the door and opening the letter. The rest of her night was filled with contemplation over accepting the invitation and a thorough investigation over the web on the pokemon "Bisharp."

* * *

At a certain mansion, a strange pokemon with a long nose and even longer hair approaches the door and knocks. Upon the doors opening, an interesting discussion ensues within.

"Mi'Lady Jessiebelle, there is a strange pokemon here with a letter addressed to you."

"If it's just some mangy mutt, then send it away."

"Mi'Lady, the pokemon does not appear to be a vagabond. Though its hair seems wild and skin overly rough, it has the mannerisms of a gentleman."

"Really… Why don't you read the letter and tell me of anything important?"

The pokemon bounded away, its mission seemingly completed. After a while, the man at the door spoke again. "Mi'Lady, I believe you will be interested in the claim made by this letter."

"Oh do tell. I haven't had any fun for years, ever since my beloved James escaped from me..."

"Speaking of that devil…"

* * *

In a hidden land, a place of dense jungle and massive ruins, a young man had taken up residence. He actually lived fairly comfortably, having found an abandoned Rocket archeological outpost and bringing the sections he wished back to power using his pokemon. If one searched to the north, they could find a mass grave formed from 15 long rows, each marked by the imprint of an unknown. At the base of each were gatherings of flowers, the fourteenth holding more than most.

The young man sat at a desk, reading a book, an old journal, telling the story of a small village charged with protecting a legendary pokemon, a group of friendly explorers consisting of researches in many fields of study, a sorrowful betrayal, and finally, a single act of desperation. The man looked up into a mirror to examine his long lime colored hair, a reminder of his people, the same tribe as that in the book. Then he noticed something odd in a far back corner of the mirror. A black four legged pokemon, more cat like than dog but still sharing traits of both, stood at the top of a flight of stairs in a doorway leading into the night. Several golden circles on the pokemon's body reflected the moonlight, just like the shining letter it held in its mouth.

"Could that possibly be a certain "Lady" I know?" the green haired youth asked. In response, the little letter carrier leaped the flight of stairs and hopped onto the man's desk. Then it faded away into nothingness, leaving the letter to fall.

The man muttered, "Alas, she was only a substitution. Now, let's read that letter…"

* * *

A Houndoom bounded into the reception area for the Kanto Elite 4. Several trainers, seeing a pokemon so rare in the region, threw out their pokemon to stop the dog. But it moved like a shadow, dodging all attack and travelling unnaturally fast, before disappearing through the challenge door, where the elite 4 waited for promising competition.

First the great hound arrived in a room filled with hail, the result of a trainer dueling with the ice master Lorelei. A electabuzz stood cowering at the might of Lorelei's lapras, quite literally frozen to the spot. The master of ice called out, "Lapras, finish this with blizzard!" Just at that moment Houndoom leapt into the air. As the challenger watched his electabuz faint, he also saw a ball of fire hurtling through the ocean of ice before it disappeared down the exit.

Bruno had all of his pokemon out, meditating before what he hoped would be a challenging new competitor flushed with victory after defeating Lorelei. He opened his eyes, sensing something's approach, something fast. Last he checked, no human possessed that speed. Then he observed a strange sight, a Houndoom with a brown bag strapped to its back racing straight into a group of pokemon who all held significant type advantages over it. Bruno didn't need to order his pokemon to stop the beast. They knew their master's wishes.

The onix immediately moved its massive bulk into the Houndoom's path. Hitmontop, hitmonchan, and hitmonlee all braced their selves with detect, standing atop the body of the onix. The houndoom leapt over all of them, defying the power of detect by simply not attacking. When a machamp came barreling toward the spot where houndoom would land, the black hound let out a burst of smoke, smoke that may as well have been pitch, before leasing a pillar of flame. However, the fire could more appropriately be termed an explosion, as its blast blew the smoke forward and lifted the houndoom so it landed in a spot beyond the machamp now covering itself with its mighty arms.

Twin blue lights appeared before the houndoom as it landed, the eyes of a lucario who had decided to guard the door. " _What is it you want, invader?"_ The aura master spoke its thoughts into the intruder's mind. The beast howled, "DOOOOOOM!" Lucario actually smiled at this due to the irony and let the creature pass. Bruno looked on, silent for a while before voicing his thoughts. "So that is why people fear the prospect of fleeing before the hounds of hell…"

Agatha had been sitting at her desk, staring through the dim light at a black and white photo of a young man. _Sam, my dear sweet Sam. Why did you choose the path you did? We could have lived together in peace, but instead you had to stay loyal to your little club of professors…"_

The old lady stiffened as she felt the presence of another, a beast she could tell possessed the eyes of a predator merely by feeling the chill on her back. Agatha stood up to face the threat and started speaking, secretly pressing the release capsules on the balls she kept hidden in the folds of her dress, "I'm just a poor old lady who consists of nothing but skin and bones." As she spoke, the air around her began to fill with cold, unearthly presence. Bitter and haunting cries began to fill the room.

"Gya-Ha-Ha-Ha-yang-gaaar…" Insane laughter.

"Mage-ge-ge. Mi-mi-mi-smage-i-us-s-s" A weeping lady.

"Ssssskih. Noyyyerrr…" "GolurrrRK" Two entities lacking emotion.

"Fryahahahah, hlass. Lahahas" Freezing yet beautiful allure.

And perhaps most haunting, "Sh-hannn-de-lurrrrrrrre." The sound of joyful memories, beckoning softly for a chance to live them for eternity.

But then, another sound pierced the dying light, a bark, short yet sharp, "RrrHound!" And with that, all the haunting calls faded away. Agatha heard the padded footsteps coming close to her, then, thankfully, moving away, leaving out the door into the room of the dragon master. Agatha recalled her pokemon then and took a seat, troubled. _That will be a rather haunting experience to recall…_

Lance saw the dog enter his room, and ignored it. He was busy training a dragon hatchling of a species new to him, found in Unova. He was trying to understand how best to relay orders to a beast that depended on hearing instead of sight. Currently, he was trying to get the creature to master the move "dark pulse," which as far as power was concerned worked exceedingly well. However, for any order requiring it to attack a still, inanimate object, the creature was hopeless.

The Houndoom walked closer to the baby dragon, curious, for the beast looked strangely like one of the family. Brus was often in charge of looking after and training new members of Kard's family. He knew that Kard would easily accept this blind dragon hatchling into the family, but, being a dog, could not fathom how to bring the beast back. So, he stepped forward.

To Lance's astonishment, the dark hound stepped forward, easily into the deino's hearing range. The little dragon attacked, pouring wave after wave of dark energy at the canine, waves that had blasted boulders to smitherines. Yet to further Lance's surprise, the houndoom took more steps forward having come through the destructive waves as a magmar through flame. _True, Houndoom resist their own type, but certainly not to that extent!_ Fearing for his Deino's safety, Lance returned it to a pokeball. Then came the hard part, the part Lance most remembered.

Brus watched as the dragon transformed into red light, and observed how the light funneled into the pokeball in the caped one's hand. He stared into the man's eyes scanning for any movement, then, after the man put the little dragon's ball onto his belt, turned his head to the door behind and to the right of the man. As he plodded toward the door, he watched Lance readied another ball, this one smelling of power. Brus padded to the point where he was just even with Lance, then padded on, observing the caped man let out a sigh of relief.

Then Brus turned! He charged the man now fumbling for the release button on his pokeball, charged with clouds of heavy black smoke emanating from his jaws, smoke spreading like liquid tar, trailing behind, pushing outwards, and seeping before him like a harbinger of doom. Brus roared as he leaped toward the man, jaws wide as death's gates.

For once in his life, Lance knew fear. He knew that powerful fear which deprives the senses. The fear that small animals feel when cornered by a powerful hunter. The absolute fright that keeps one from any response. So, like one of those animals, he faints. When he came to, he realized the deino was gone.

After taking the ball from the caped one's belt, Brus placed it into his bag in a pocket that did not contain the letter. Fortunately, the Kanto Elite 4 currently had no champion, so he was able to go through without interruption. He then walked through the last door, entering the hall of fame. As he padded along the pathway, a road which lit up as he walked, always shining blue at least a few paces ahead, he saw the walls of the hall. They were littered with the portraits of trainers and their pokemon, past champions of the elite 4. Brus even saw a Houndoom in one of the pictures. But eventually, the portaits stopped, giving way to a massive machine.

The houndoom leapt up onto a desk which glowed blue and possessed 6 half circle indentions in it. Then the beast lifted its snout to the touchscreen monitor above, placing it on a map of Unova. Then the houndoom lay down on the odd desk, and waited.

It did not take long. A rod shining with the same light as the desk passed over Brus. Then he started to disappear. The last thing he saw before blacking out was something quite odd, a new picture on the wall beside the machine. It showed in the portion reserved for pokemon a single baby dragon. But despite the lack of human intelligence, even Brus widened his eyes at the figure in the part of the picture reserved for trainers. It was himself.

From this tale sprung stories of a new legendary, a fallen brother of entei, raikou, and suicune. The tale goes that the beast one day appeared before the Kanto Elite 4, and despite being one pokemon, defeated all of them. It is said that when attacking, while normal pokemon can sometimes make smoke a solid black color, this dark brother of the Johto canines pours out pure pitch from its maw like smoke, charring and entrapping all before it. When angered, it looses upon its foes a blast of flame more akin to a bomb, creating shock waves strong enough to topple the pokemon used by the legendary trainer Bruno. Even more chilling, its call holds power over the dead, rendering ghost pokemon unconscious by its voice alone.

The rumors of its existence, like most every other legendary, have yet to be proven true. However, within encyclopedias of legends it goes by the name of Cerbruskard, a mixture of the mythical hound of hell, Cerberus, and two names that showed up in the hall of fame, Brus and Kard, beside a picture of a trainer who looked for the entire world like a houndoom. The hall of fame machine never lies, so there's no explanation possible other than the picture being the machine's log of Cerbruskard's victory. As the houndoom trainer's only pokemon was no more than a baby, there's no way the trainer could have won using it. The solution has to be that the Hall of fame machine pulled from its databanks the image which most closely resembled the beast, and placed it in the trainer spot to show the monster acted upon its own accord. The legend goes that if a trainer defeats one of the elite 4 groups with a single pokemon, then the Dark Champion will come to test the trainer's ability. However, if the trainer was to fail in Cerbruskard's trial, the beast would travel around the world, only leaving this plane of existence after it burns to the ground every gym and elite 4 on this world.

* * *

Imagine Alder's surprise when a pokemon, a houndoom if memory served him correctly, stalked out of the Hall of Fame. "What in the name of …" After muttering to himself, Alder contemplated challenging this pokemon, but decided against it. The canine didn't even look at Alder as it plodded on by him, a shock as almost all pokemon became quite playful around the Unova champion. Alder decided to follow the creature.

The Houndoom walked down the many stairs, and out into the central plaza of the Unova Elite 4. Then, somehow as Alder had guessed, the creature took the staircase to the top-left, the stairs leading to Grimsley. As the houndoom enered Grimsley's room, Alder was about to follow when he got a call on his cell. Precious few people have the number of a nation's champion. _Well, looks like I'll just have to ask Grimsley about it later._ Alder looked at the caller ID. _That's odd. What would Lance have to say to me?"_

* * *

Grimsley had been reading a book Shantel had finished only yesterday, trying to pass the time. He really would like a battle soon, but trainers ready for the challenge were somewhat out of season. It was times like these, without any trainers, that he wished he had not wasted a few of his battles on trying to appear the easiest target of the Elite 4. He wished he had instead gone all out so he could have at least a few more memories of the excitement. At least now any up and coming trainers would be more likely to face him first so he could have the joy of defeating them instead of the brute, the lazy one, or even the somewhat decent writer.

With a sigh he closed the book, pulled out a deck of cards, and practiced manipulating them. It was while shuffling these that he noticed that someone was on his escalator. _Well, never thought I'd get a battle toady. What luck!_ But when his visitor arrived, it was a horned dog sitting on its haunches, a tube held in its mouth. Odd, for he could only think of a single possibility for the pokemon's owner, and the thought was practically ludicrous. The hound dropped its tube on the floor and leapt the fence which had closed behind it. _Guess I should check out that package._

* * *

Two weeks had passed. Giovoni stood once again upon the balcony, this time speaking to an audience of men and women dressed as if for a costumed ball. He made sure his own mask was in place, a meowth mask covering the top half of his face, complete with whiskers and golden amulet, a great look for a tournament director, and to be honest, a nostalgic one. Giovani approached the podium.

"Friends! Powerful trainers from across the lands! I welcome you to the grand opening of the Gio Ro tournament! Thank you for coming and please make your selves at home. As you have been told, the maximum number of pokemon you will need is four and, so now let me elaborate on the rules of the beginning match. The first round will be a double battle where you shall be paired with two other trainers. Each person will use two pokemon, but can only have one of their own pokemon on the field at any time. Also, in this round the common tournament limit of four moves will be in effect. Once you've used your fourth move, you may not use any other type. This carefully prepared match type will allow us to find the better half of those here in a third of the normal time. Of course, there is a good deal of luck involved in who your partner shall be, so for those of you who can't cooperate, good luck. You'll need it. Now, here is the list of teams. You have half an hour before the first match. Good luck finding your partner." And then he left, thinking of the grand scramble to follow as people searched frantically for those they would fight along side.

The room dimmed and an overhead light went on the opposite side of the room, projecting a list above Giovoni's head. Hundreds of faces, a good number of them sporting various masks, looked up to find their future, checking if they might know who they would be partnering with. Some nearly swooned seeing their longtime heroes beside their names. A very few gagged at the sight of some hated rival and their name side by side. However, for the most part, the people could only wonder at who their partner could be.

There was one person in the crowd who saw something quite hilarious in the postings. Kard could not help but smirk seeing Ash, Jessiebelle, and Zure (James's chosen cover) all in the same team. Then he saw who he was with and actually let out a laugh. He was paired with Waterflower and Grimsley. If this was chance, then tepig could fly and the -chan pokemon family dressed in drag. Now to find who Jessie was paired with. Kard nearly cringed seeing Jessie had been paired with Gary Oak and N. _Of course, Giovani doesn't know about the 4Trees. Why is that son of Oak here? Did Ash invite him?_

Well, there was nothing to do now but find Misty and his brother. He saw Misty's easily distinguished head of hair and approached her. The girl (for though she was by now at least in her 20s, she was still seemed childish) was taken aback at the sight of a figure dressed in what appeared to be rags in a sea of men and women decked out in finery. She herself had on a favorite kimono patterned after ocean waves, a dress which clashed violently with her flaming hair yet still managed to pull off an air of vibrant beauty. She had worn a similar one many years ago while travelling with Ash, and wanted the man to remember the times they had shared together.

But here this man ( _or women_ she thought with a shudder) stood, a blemish in the sea of finery. Then, to her horror, it began walking towards her. There was no escape, so she may as well grin and bear it.

"Hello!" the boy (for with a voice like his it had to be), said to Misty. "It looks like I'm your partner. I'm a huge fan of yours, so picking you out of the crowd was pretty easy." The boy's arm, hidden behind the long dirty sleeve, reached out towards Misty. But then, a hand both fair and delicate reached out, waiting for Misty to meet it with her own. Misty somewhat hesitantly shook the boys hand and asked him why he wore the cloak.

The boy answered while pulling down his hood, "Oh, I'm sorry. My family comes from a land where you don't want to wear your finest clothes outside, so I'm a bit used to wearing this at tourneys in faraway places." The boy's head was as fair as his hand and well formed. His hair was of the same caliber, dark and well gelled. "I hope I didn't offend you by any chance?"

Misty looked somewhat flustered, her cheeks reddening before replying, "Not at all. What pokemon did you bring? You said you're a fan, so you probably know I specialize in water type. Oh, and more importantly, what's your name? " Then she thought of something odd about this "fan" of hers. "Wait a second. You mentioned being from faraway, yet you claim to be a fan. My modest fame doesn't reach that far outside of Kanto, you know? How is it I have a fan in a land I never even heard of?"

The boy laughed. "The name's Kard, and you appear to have found me out. I'm quite new to Kanto and know you mainly through research on how best to beat the gymleaders here." Then he looked at Misty somewhat mischievously before going on to say, "But I _am_ still a fan of yours, Misty."

Misty hadn't gotten so red since her travels with Ash. Fortunately, Kard started talking again before she could further embarrass herself. "I specialize in dark pokemon, a type I here is quite rare in Kanto despite its abundance in my own land. If you don't mind, I'd like to use my Shiftry and Scrafty. Shiftry's a grass/dark type and an absolute gentleman. But Scrafty, my dark/fighting pokemon is a bit of a punk. I'll show them to you once we find our other team member and get to some place more discreet. So, who do you plan to use?"

Misty began to tell him when someone, another man, hooded in a dirty cloak, interrupted her, startled her to be exact.

"Ahem." After Misty calmed from her shout, which attracted several annoyed stares, the stranger continued, pulling done his hood to reveal a face somewhat similar to Kard's. "My apologies. It was probably not the best idea to make myself known behind the lady…" Kard smirked while Misty blushed. " _Honestly,"_ Kard thought. _"This girl just grows redder and redder."_ The man continued. "I am Grimsley of the Unova Elite 4. I do believe the young lady is none other than the stunning Misty Waterflower, and the gentleman happens to be the reason for my appearance here."

"Honestly Hadows, you are always so obscenely proper," Kard complained. "You know I almost named Baron after you, when he was a still a seedot."

Hodows Grimsley countered, "And you, my younger brother, are the very definition of a vagabond. I _did_ name one of my pokemon after you, a scraggly whose always tripping over his skin. Ma'am, I must apologize to you for my brother's rudeness. But I believe I interrupted you. What where the pokemon you planned on using?"

Misty had gone through several emotions in a rather short amount of time, shock, embarrassment, pleasure, and humor had all left her somewhat flustered, but she managed eventually to respond. "Oh, I was thinking I'd use my golduck and dewgong. Do any of you know what sort of arena we'll battle in?"

"Well," Hadows responded, looking pointedly at his younger brother. " _I_ don't know but I know someone who might… I was thinking I'd use my bisharp and a honchrow. So Kard, what are you using?"

"Let's go outside and I'll show you." The group left the building, trying to stay connected through the masses of people. Needless to say, the robes the Grimsley brothers wore helped a lot. Kard didn't take the lead directly, but did his best to subtly steer the group towards the buildings back door while avoiding people who may bring up somewhat awkward conversations, namely Ash, N., Jesse, James, and that annoying surprise contestant Gary Oak. Having accomplished this, the group exited into a small grass field behind the building. Kard closed the door, palming the key he used to lock it to ensuring complete privacy.

"Well, here they are!" Kard released his Baron and his scrafty from the confines of their pokeballs. "Hey Baron, this lady over here is Misty Waterflower, the water princess of the Kanto gymleaders." The shiftry approached Misty and bowed deep, flourishing his leafy fist. Meanwhile, the scrafty approached Grimsley, looking the man up and down before cocking his head back and offering a hand. Hadows raised an eyebrow before calling out, "Hey Kard, I believe your scrafty is offering to work with me."

Kard looked over before replying, "Oh, that's just T's way. My advice, take his hand and shake it firm." Then Kard turned back to Misty, asking to see her pokemon.

 _T? That's an odd name for a pokemon if I ever heard one. Guess that's like my brother though._ Hadows shook the lizards hand, firmly, and watched as it swaggered over to Kard, positioning itself like some sort of bodyguard. T crossed his arms and leaned a bit to give him a better view of the door and the surrounding area. _You got yourself a reliable one there, brother. Are all your pokemon like that?_

Grimsley approached his two team mates, letting out his bisharp and honchrow. Misty, who had just shown off her pokemon, looked over at Grimsley in surprise. "Oh! A bisharp. You know, I had a strange experience with a bisharp a couple of weeks ago."

"Oh really," Hadows replied, giving Kard a steely eye. The group sat around discussing strategy. Eventually the half hour they had ran its course and they went back inside, Kard opening the door for them. Misty walked right on in, but as Hadows went by he passed Kard a note. With a raised eyebrow, Kard watched his brother's back before closing the door reading his note.

"We need to talk. Tonight. 11:00pm."

Kard sighed before plastering on a smile and following his team. _I'm gonna be tired tomorrow. Why couldn't you ask for the conversation a bit earlier, you moron._

* * *

James was terrified. That's the simple way to put it. Before him stood the man that had put him in jail multiple times and the women who promised to make his life a living hell. All that separated him from a certain demise was a white mask he once received as a souvenir from a rendition of "Phantom of the Opera." Of course, he also had his faithful Cofagrigus and Cacturne, both pokemon neither of his "partners" had ever seen with a certain James Morgan. "Yah ha ha!" James almost went through the roof at Jessiebelle's cackle. "So you are the famous Ash Ketchum, aren't yah? I can't wait to work with you. By any chance have you seen a certain blue haired young man by the name of James while you've been here?" James secretly thanked Jesse for dying his hair, even if he wasn't particularly fond of such a brilliant shade of crimson.

"No, and please, the name is Red. Did you mean James Morgan the Rocket?" James grew more nervous after hearing Ash speak for the first time. _Why is Ash acting like this? He no longer even seems like an easy target._

"The same my dear! He was at one point a _very_ promising young trainer from a _very_ respectable family. Oh my beloved James, how I wish you were here beside me now! If only so that I can give you my lashings of love…" And on it went.

"So," Ash turned to James. "You said you're Zure?" Ash looked at James questioningly. "What pokemon do you use?"

"Oh, um…" James fumbled. This Ash was different. He seemed more… competent. A competent Ash, now that was scary. "I have a cacturne and cofagrigus, howabout you?"

Ash held out his arm, an arm clad in some sort of thick leather gauntlet. The moment the arm was out, a swellow swooped down through an open window and landed on it. The bird was huge, literally half Ash's height.

"The other one is in the river. A Floatzel."

Jessiebelle spoke up from behind Ash, "Wow Red, that's quite impressive! And here I only have my vileplume and Persian." A bell chimed, loud enough to be heard over the entire building. "Oh dear, it appears we will soon be battling. Let's find out with whom!" and the group turned to the podium. From behind his two nemesis, James gulped in fear. _The two people I wish most to never have met, both more frightening than I had thought. After these years, Jessiebelle is still after me. And Ash, or should I say Red, has turned potential into reality… Why did Kard have to do this to me?!_

* * *

Jesse glared at the man before her. Gary Oak was the rival of that twerp, Ash, and was always a polar opposite. While Ash was overly cheery, somewhat deranged, and overly reliant on what seemed the Devil's luck, Gary had always been coldly disdainful, calculating, and talented enough to blast Team Rocket off again at every encounter. Thankfully, those were usually few and brief, though that last part kind of hurt the pride a bit. Gary, on the other hand looked at the bitter women before him with a confused, semi-amused look. "Have we met before Jesse?"

Jesse was taken aback. "What! Umm…, ah, no. I must have mistaken you for someone else…" _What's with this kid? He's doesn't seem the same…._

Another boy, someone with long, lime green hair and an obsession it seemed with white clothes suddenly called out. "Hello! You must be Jesse. A pleasure to meet you. I'm N." Then he turned to Gary, and his faced seemed to lose some of its expression. "So, your Oak?"

"Yup, that's me. It's a pleasure to meet you all." Then Gary said something surprising. "Hey, no offense, but you guys seem a bit tense around me. If it's because of my past, something I may have done to either of you, I must say I'm sorry. I understand I was somewhat a jerk in my trainer years, but that's behind me now. Now I'm just the Viridian Gymleader and professor. I have to work a lot with kids starting out their journeys, so I had a lot of talks with this one guy who is, or at least was, pretty much locked into a kid's mindset. It rubbed off on me I think, making me a bit more considerate of others. Sorry if I bored you with my history, but I think I needed to throw that out there."

Jesse looked at him, somewhat confused. _Oh well, might as well go with it. It's probably a good thing he doesn't remember me._ She looked over at the other guy, N. The man continued to glare at Gary, then seemed to steel himself, and swallow something. After that he seemed a bit more normal around the younger Oak, though Jesse occasionally caught him glaring at Gary's back.

* * *

"Hey Pikachu! You tryin to tell me something?"

Pika! Pi, pi! Pi _ka_ choo."

"What's that? Misty fell down a well?!"

Pikachu slapped his head before trying again.

"Ha! That's a good one," Meowth spoke to the Rockets behind the curtain. "I don't know why Ash thinks he knows what the electric rat says all the time, but Pikachu just said it wants chocolate."

Suddenly Ash yelled in surprise, "Wait, you smell Team Rocket?!"

"What the _HELL_?!" Meowth voiced indignantly. "'Chocolate' and 'Rocket' don't even rhyme in Pikacku." Half the crowd, the shadier portion, subtly reached to their belts.

Pikachu slapped its head again then offered a hand to Ash, which Ash took. "I'm sorry Pikachu. It seems I still have a lot to learAHHHHHH… ern." After giving Ashes hand a few volts, Pikachu zipped open the backpack on the fallen teenager and took out the bag of food he'd been asking for. He was about to leave, then seemed to think better of it, turning around and offering Ash one of the chocolate bars. "Pika!"[Here]

"Ahh, thanks Pikachu. Wait, come back! I was saving those for the road!"

Jesse cackled to herself as Pikachu climbed a marble statue to eat in peace. "Yup, that's the Ash we all know and love."

Until Next Time(?)

* * *

Well, not sure I'll manage to continue. This was years ago and though I'd love to write more, not sure if I'll manage. Pretty much just put out everything I had written of the story. I know they aren't proper chapters, but wasn't sure I should try to organize it if I wasn't planning on adding to it. Thanks for reading and hope at least a few people enjoyed it.


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